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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 120 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: cabinet · ball · press · safe · face · patient · mark · spell

  1. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. How do you ________________ your surname?
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  8. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. spell — letters
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. spell — a short time
  6. mark — a grade
  7. press — a publisher
  8. face — to confront
  9. face — part of the head
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. press — newspapers
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. mark — a trace
  14. press — to push
  15. ball — a great time
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. face — to point toward
  18. ball — a dance
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. spell — magic
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. patient — a sick person

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com